Merited victory for part-timers

The result was no more than Lincoln Red Imps deserved, a team containing a fireman, a policeman and a taxi driver having more than matched their illustrious opponents after completing shifts at their day jobs.

European performance will be the yardstick by which Rodgers is judged, with Champions League defeats against Malmo, Maribor and Legia Warsaw casting a shadow over predecessor Ronny Deila’s two years in charge.

Rodgers spoke pre-match of his pride in taking charge of the former European champions for the first time but the reality is that this will rank as the most embarrassing result of his career to date.

A goalless first half perhaps gave some indication of the task facing Celtic.

The visitors dominated possession from the start but struggled to find their rhythm, on a less-than-ideal artificial surface and in the face of a tigerish Red Imps side who defended well, impishly swarming around Griffiths and Moussa Dembele at every turn.

The hosts had the first chance when Liam Walker forced a routine save from goalkeeper Craig Gordon after some tidy approach play, while moments later Celtic had a goal disallowed after Dembele jumped with goalkeeper Raul Navas to contest a Scott Brown free kick.

‘Biggest shock in the history of European football’

Celtic needed to up the ante in the second half but it was the Red Imps who struck.

Casciaro – who scored Gibraltar’s first competitive goal, against Scotland at Hampden in March 2015 – got on the end of a long ball, turned Ambrose and prodded in.

Just two minutes later, a shell-shocked Celtic had a let off when Antonio Calderon scampered away from a quick free-kick but fired inches over Gordon’s crossbar.

Rodgers, who had earlier introduced James Forrest and Stuart Armstrong, went to the well for the final time and introduced Nadir Ciftci for the ineffective Dembele but the Turk found the lack of service just as frustrating.

Griffiths rattled the crossbar once more from a free kick, and Nir Bitton was denied a tap-in on the rebound by a superb Ryan Casciaro tackle.

Navas then denied Ciftci from a header, palming the ball away, but lacklustre Celtic were left humbled and humiliated by the effervescent underdogs.

Substitution

Booking

Goal!

Goal! Lincoln Red Imps FC 1, Celtic 0. Lee Casciaro (Lincoln Red Imps FC) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal.

Second Half

Posted at

Second Half begins Lincoln Red Imps FC 0, Celtic 0.

Half Time

Posted at45’+1′

First Half ends, Lincoln Red Imps FC 0, Celtic 0.

Booking

Posted at10′

Efe Ambrose (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Kick Off

Posted at

First Half begins.

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

goal

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